Pocket ash tray and cigarette package case



Jan. 30 1962 M. J. POSAVlC 3,018,877

POCKET ASH TRAY AND CIGARETTE PACKAGE CASE 7 Filed Nov. 2, 1960ATTOEA/Ef United States Patent 3,018,877 POCKET ASH TRAY AND CIGARETTEPACKAGE CASE Michael J. Posavic, 4202 S. Medina Road, Barberton, OhioFiled Nov. 2, 1960, Ser. No. 66,870 1 Claim. (Cl. 206-38) This inventionrelates to tobacco users appliances and particularly to a pocket ashtray and cigarette package case.

Conducive to a better understanding of this invention, it may be well topoint out that there are many Occasions when a cigarette smoker is at aloss as to where to deposit the ash of his cigarette, especially whenindoors and in a place where no ash tray is available. Likewise, thesame problem may arise when outdoors, where a fire-hazard would becreated if ashes or butts were lgeedlllessly thrown about into drygrass, leaves or underrus The primary object of this invention,therefore, is to provide a combination pocket ash tray and cigarettepackage case, that is easily portable and only slightly larger than apackage of cigarettes.

Another object is to provide a pocket carrying case that can be used notonly to hold a package of cigarettes but also includes an ash tray and aseparate compartment for safely holding both the ashes and cigarettebutts, which result from the smoking of the cigarettes.

A further object is to provide such a case that can be safely carried inthe users pocket without danger of burns from the contained ashes orbutts.

Still another object is to provide a device of the type stated thatprovides a tray element that is used in the conventional manner forreceiving ashes and holding lit cigarettes and then can be foldedagainst the face of the cigarette pack holder to provide a safe carryingmeans for the contained ashes and butts.

Another object is to provide a device of the type stated that can beinexpensively and easily fabricated from light sheet metal stock, suchas aluminum.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from areading of the following specification and claim, together with theaccompanying drawing, wherein like parts are referred to and indicatedby like reference numerals, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the pocket ash tray and cigarettepackage case that is the subject of this invention, in its closedcondition;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the device in its open condition,showing a lighted cigarette held on the ash tray element;

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 but without thecigarettes normally held by it; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view through the body and tray taken along theline and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is seen the pocket ashtray and cigarette package case, that is the subject of this invention,broadly indicated by reference numeral 10.

The case is preferably made of lightweight sheet material such asaluminum, which may be suitably decorated or anodized to provide casesin colors other than the silver hue of aluminum, if desired.

The body of the case is cut and shaped from a single sheet of metal toprovide a hollow housing having a rear wall 14, a bottom wall 15, twoend walls 16 and 17, and a front wall 18-18, formed by bending thematerial at the forward edges of the end walls 16 and 17 at 90 theretoand toward each other, as seen most clearly in FIGURE 3.

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Lower ends 19-19 of the front wall sections 18-18 are bent rearwardtoward the rear wall 14 at a spaced distance upward of the bottom wallto provide cigarette supporting brackets 19-19. These brackets define anupper, cigarette package, compartment 27, and a lower cigarette ash andbutt storage compartment 28, as is seen most clearly in FIGURES 2 and 3.

Reference numerals 24 and 25 indicate hinge elements formed at theforward edge of the bottom wall 15, proximate the end walls 16 and 17.

Reference numeral 20 indicates a front cover or tray member pivotallymounted at the front edge of the bottom wall 15 through a hinge element23 formed integral therewith and nested between the body hinge elements24 and 25 in engagement with a pintle pin 29 which passes through theseveral elements, as seen in FIGURES 3 and 4.

The tray 20 has freedom of limited, outward swinging movement, between afirst, or closed, position fiat against the front wall 18-18, as seen inFIGURE 1, and a second, or open position, substantially in the plane ofthe bottom wall 15, as seen in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

The tray 20 has longitudinally extending side flanges 21 and 22 whichact to confine ashes to the tray when the tray 20 is in its open orsecond position, as seen in FIGURE 2, and which are adapted to overlaythe body side walls 16 and 17 when the tray is in its closed, or firstposition, to provide an ash tight seal between the tray and body, asseen in FIGURE 1.

Reference numeral 26 indicates a grooved cigarette holder positioned atthe free end of the tray, formed integral therewith, and adapted toanchor a lighted cigarette against movement on the tray 20, as shown inFIGURE 2.

The construction of the tray hinge, as illustrated in enlarged form inFIGURE 4, is such that the hinge end of the tray 20 bears against theunder side of the bottom wall 15 to hold the tray 20 against furtherdownward movement when the tray is substantially in the plane of thebottom wall 15.

Referring again to FIGURE 2, the case 10 is shown with a conventionalpackage 11 of cigarettes 12, nested in the upper compartment 27 andsupported from below by the two bracket arms 19-19.

A lighted cigarette 13 is shown resting on the holder 26 of the opentray 20. It will be evident that ashes falling from the cigarette 13will be caught and held on the tray 20. Similarly, ashes from acigarette held between the fingers can be flicked upon the tray. The soopened case 10 can be held in the hand or rested upon any flat surface.When the tray 20 is pivoted upward to its first or closed position, asillustrated in FIGURE 1, the ashes on the tray 2t: will slide into thecompartment 28 and will be held therein by the tray 21) which then laysacross the face of the case, covering the compartment 28. The trayflanges 21 and 22 overlay the end walls 16 and 17 respectively in asliding fit that keeps the contained ashes from sifting out of the case.The compartment 28 also provides a safe de pository for partly smokedcigarettes which can be stored therein for later use. v

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishesthe objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has beendisclosed in its preferred form, it is to be understood that thespecific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is notto be considered in a limited sense, as there may be other forms ormodifications of the invention which should also be construed to comewithin the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A pocket ash tray and cigarette package case, comprising in combination,'a unitary body having bottom, rear, and side walls open to the top,the'side walls'having flanges along their forward edges defining twospaced and aligned front wall sections, both of the front wall sectionsbeing bent inwardly toward the rear wall, at a point spaced upwardly ofthe bottom wall, to provide cigarette package supporting bracketsdefining an upper cigarette package retaining compartment and a lowerash receiving compartment, both open-to the front, the

bottom surface of a so retainedcigarette'package form- 10 ing the topwall of the ash receiving ,compartment, and a tray pivotally mounted atthe front edge of the bottom wall with freedom of limited outwardswinging movement,'between a first, or closed position flat against thefront wall, and a second, or open position, substantially in the planeof the bottom wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

